From the course: Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer

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Redundant words

Redundant words

From the course: Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer

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Redundant words

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- A special class of words that contribute to flabbiness in sentences are redundant words. They come in the form of twin words, often, appearing side by side, that mean exactly the same thing, phrases like the sum total. Well, the sum is the total. Take this sentence: The four pebbles in his left hand and the two in his right added up to a sum total of six stones. Bloated, as well, because added up to takes away the need to say either sum or total. You could just say: The four pebbles in his left hand and the two in his right added up to six stones. So always question the way that words are used together, as many redundant words creep through this particular net. We're so used to seeing certain words twinned together that we don't even notice the redundancy unless we think about it.

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